Great review, and I'm kind of glad you got this one. The three The Cure albums you listed are my firm favourites as well, with Disintegration being the pick of the three with me. What I like most about Cold is that pure post-punk vibe it carries, while still being distinctly The Cure. The harrowing, tortured voice of Smith is beautiful here, capturing isolation, desperation and fear so accurately and, as you said, with authenticity. The simple song structure is another aspect which for me makes it prefect, letting everything breathe, with massive amounts of space further pushing the sense of overwhelming helpless abandonment.

The song title goes hand in hand with the band name. Well anyways, this is reminiscent of post-punk mostly in the rhythm with a sort of post-punkish groove in the bass and drums, but other than that I found it to be very indie rock-like. It reminded me a bit of The Strokes I guess. I saw the song described as being "erotic" which is fitting for sure. The singer is definitely sensual in his crooning as far as this song goes. The whole thing sounded really radio friendly though, like something that would fit well after a Coldplay song. But there is a tad bit more honesty in this song, and I found myself really enjoying the 2:50 and on a lot.

Never heard of this before, and had no idea where it would lead, judging by the name I almost expected some kind of quasi-environmental indie rock, which would have been slightly irritating... but instead, what we have here is a mellow, ambient piece of soothing music with what has to be samples of car tires along bitumen (given the name, not surprising). Indeed it IS rather soothing, with frog noises, chiming, simplistic piano work and some languid, smooth guitar licks here and there giving some shimmer and shine. The subtle beat underneath it does help add some impetus (though it's not very dynamic), as it gently wafts by you. Alas though, for all these positive points it just doesn't have any substance to it, nothing that really pulls you under it's intended spell - it kind of ends being... a little dull. It's not terrible by any measure, just flat, and was hoping it would expand or unfold somewhat more.

Yeah there is definitely not much to the song. It really shines for me when I sit back and smoke some ganja. It has an incredibly pleasant atmosphere which is why I like it so much. Certainly wonderful as a background when smoking with close friends, but not a particularly good song to sit and try to digest. In it's right setting it can bring a tear to my eye. Other times I just passively dismiss it. Probably should have went with another tune

This is some cool Neofolk. It was slow and had a prominent haunting atmosphere. The vocals were deep and somewhat subtle. Overall, I thought this was pretty decent. Not the best neofolk I've heard or anything, but still, not bad at all. The slow acoustic guitar, lingering creepy atmosphere and well done vocals all culminate to make something pretty convincing. I haven't really been in the mood for this type of stuff lately, but when I am I could see myself enjoying this band if this song is at all indicative of what they're about.

ok so as far as I can tell this is basically pretty normal indie rock/shoegaze put through a few million pedals/laptops and then sprinkled with a bit of krautrock (in the synths, and the propulsive drums), but it's pretty enjoyable. Quite lush, the whole thing varying between a real damaged, katamary-damsay-ish noise of synths and guitars rolling awkwardly forward, to relatively normal music but with enough pedals and weird swooping synths to keep it from getting too predictable. I rather like it, live it would destroy you'd think. Stays consistently melodic and pretty while still remaining a rather fascinating and unusual listen. It's albums like this that show you just how out of date MBV's newy is.

Maaan as soon as I realised this was rap I was a pretty sad case. I made a big effort to like rap maybe 6 or so years ago and came to the conclusion that maybe 5 songs aside, I find rap boring as shiiiiiiiit. The dudes have good flow. But I just don't find a dude rapping over a repetitive loop for a few minutes enjoyable, never have, never will. Got 2 minutes into it then closed it. Maybe the last two minutes it abruptly turns into something awesome, but I imagine it's just more rapping over that same ol'loop. 2/10

A really nice track. Elegaic string layers building over each other in a stately, serene way. Very minimal, but in a good way, building up the maximum "tone painting" emotional impact out of the least "busy elements". I guess it's difficult to describe something like this because it's so much more about emotional resonance than it is about technique or recognisable style. I'm reminded of Boards of Canada or the incredible string band in the sort of blissed out rural atmosphere it conjured up. A great track for a hot Australian night.

After that air raid siren to start the track, that was really not where I saw this thing going. For the most part musically it's a repetitive martial drum beat with minimal synth behind it and some occasional cool violin adding tension while King tells the story of the betrayal of Judas in this wildly affected voice. I really wanted to hate this. I mean, the guy is reciting a middle English ballad (yeah, I had to look that up) in an accent that travels all over Europe without ever landing anywhere (except maybe Count Chocula). But despite its pretension and over the top theatrics I couldn't help but be won over by this thing. Hypnotic? Ritualistic? However you like to call it, it's music to do something unspeakable to. The angry chanting and screams that punctuate the song really add to the whole feeling of witnessing some kind of black and secret ritual. That left me feeling a bit on edge. I suppose that is a good sign. I can see a lot of people hating this. On any other day, I may hate it too.

Yeah, Mr.King is a really acquired taste, but I think he's fantastic. As well as being a sometime member of Sol Invictus he's one of the foremost authorities on traditional British music. Pretty much everything he does is like this track - very sombre and dark versions of old ballads.

_________________

Mike_Tyson wrote:

"I think the average person thinks I'm a fucking nut and I deserve whatever happens to me."

I remember hearing Black Mountain quite a few years ago and not thinking much of them. However, when I listened to this I thought it was great. This song is laid back and fronted by the chick vocalist. It is very rhythmic and features classic rock sort of keyboards along with some bluesier guitar work. This almost reminds me of some of the female fronted "occult rock" that has been popping up lately. This has good songwriting and a good atmosphere, think I'll give these guys another shot.

Uh, hardcore punk. This is the opposite of my area of expertise, and music I generally truly don't enjoy. But when it comes to the genre, this is probably the least terrible I've heard. It's very driving, agressive, thrashy power chord based riffing only. The vocals are rallying shouts, going on about whatever it is the singer is so pissed off about now, and they're competent. I certainly can't shout like that. I quite like the guitar tone and the bass in all of their respective clarity. I remember this genre sounding dirtier .Doesn't slow down for a second, just a short 2 minutes of agression in which to break shit.

Interesting. Obviously the addition of that pseudo-madman that is THE Mike Patton is a welcome addition (even though at times I find him to be nothing more than an irritant...), with his trademark, multi-faceted vocal range. Musically this could almost be slotted between trip hop and... ummm lounge musak. The beats are lush, and I do love the vinyl scratch being abundantly evident within the rhythm loop. Immediately brought to my attention is the likeness (vaguely) of Portishead, only not as engaging, or atmospheric. Tinkling ivories flourish here and there amidst the quasi sultry persona this track aims to possess, but there seems to be something missing here, and I unfortunately can't figure out what it is, but it's maddening none the less. Maybe it's the somewhat stagnant nature of it, besides the aforementioned lushness, which it does pull off (ahem) easily. Perhaps it is the smell of underdeveloped song craft that is irking me? I'm not sure, as it is rather repetitive, and short. But hey, if you have your significant other (or next conquest) alone in the back seat of your estate wagon, or convertable under a beautifully lit starry sky overlooking the city lights, this may have some sway for you in your favour.

I'm not the biggest fan of WoB as a whole, but I dig this particular one - a staple in classic electro/industrial/dark-synth pop. Just a ton of fun and the fact that you know them makes my amphibian heart warm!

That being said, the only bands in this particular genre I'm a fan of all 80s poppy-synth based ones (Cruxshadows in particular) but I always had a soft spot for this song because it's just really well put together, excellently varied and has this wonderfully poppy vibe to it without osing its erotic gothic edge - like something that would be played during a vampire sex-scene in a club in some shitty early 2000s movie. It's kinda trashy, kinda lame, but at the same time, you can just move your hips and lose yourself in that killer chorus hook. Think Death in June mixed with demo-era Massive Attack and its about right. Muted vocals and overdriven synth guitar are two things I miss a ton when it comes to modern vs. classic electro music, and this song really makes me want to revisit Metropolis to see if my 11 year old self matches up with my 24 year old self

Kind words good sir and I do adore this album, but the song I really wanted to post is not on YT (Stigmata), but Fall Of Agade is another excellent cut from this underrated album. Your review is spot on too with the conclusion, it IS all of those things, but fantastic none the less eh?

Ahh, some indie folk. And though I subscribe to the idea that no one should ever have any guilty pleasures in life, I hypocritically have exactly one guilty pleasure: indie-alt-contemporary-folky bands. The song was great, very emotional which is what I love from artists like these. The build in this song is awesome and the electric guitar provides enough loudness to make it more than just another acoustic-indie folk song. But my favorite part has got to be the singer. What a voice this guy has, and I could truly feel the emotion. Belting out "I was prepared to love you" in the last minute was a gorgeous moment. I liked this one. A lot.

This screams 90's at the top of its lungs, it can't get any more Seattle-esque. The guitars are crunchy and the song has a cool groove during it's entirety. That chorus with the children's voices towards the end is very nice. The riffs in the song create a somewhat "basement" atmosphere, the break in the middle of the song when there is no distortion is creepy and the solo that follows is probably the only thing I didn't enjoy as much. The singer has an amazing voice. Sad these guys just put out one album!

So I got another one eh? Oh well here we go I guess... So. This is Blind Melon, and I will be blunt from the get go, this is nowhere near as good as the other track you posted a while back, because this one falls squarely in a style I loathe - indie/folk/whatever rock. I honestly can't stand this stuff, no matter how well it's put together. Now that's out of the way, you should know what we have on offer, and you'll be either drooling or indifferent. The vocals are good, yes they are, as is the band behind everything, and I know that the lyrical message is supposed to be forefront here, when he opines about how he's "tired of himself this way", but I just don't get it. It's dull and noodly, and oh so bland, that any impact emotionally this is aiming at just goes sailing over my head as I count down the seconds til it's end. The wiggly-woogly solo at the end over the, I guess, crescendo was nothing to elicit anything either. I am being harsh on what is essentially a well played song, as there is some good dual guitar work going on panning left and right, but it's nothing exciting, or perceptively brilliant. Didn't like it.

Now it's my turn to be pulled up on my tastes eh (Listen with headphones or good speakers)?

First of all, I don't know a lot about electronic music, so I wouldn't know how to classify this. Darkwave? At first this sounded like music from a videogame (it fits perfectly with the video). I was not sure if it would get my attention for the whole of the song. About a minute and a half into it, the vocals start and make the song a lot more interesting; the singer sounds to me like a modern version of that guy in The Sisters of Mercy. It was fun listening to the backing vocals during the chorus, so 80's at times. Very enjoyable. The song has a nice flow during it's entirety and a certain heavyness to it approaching the end. Not the kind of music I'd normally listen to, but it was not an unpleasant listen at all. Side note: the video is fun, the guy beating this futuristic aircraft in a motorcycle with a katana or whatever the hell that is.

Well, oddly I actually quite like this song, and is basically the only Slipknot song that I've got a bit of time for and would probably choose to listen to. Hater's gon' hate and all that.

Of course, the lyrics are all complete angsty wank that seems to cater for loner freaks in High School that don't manage to pull it off and make it look cool (basically, they look like this and not like this). However, it's difficult to find angsty wank done as well as this. Musically, this song ain't bad either and does exactly what you want it to do... Distorted riff throughout, aggressive drums... What you'd expect to find really. It's nothing amazing and obviously actual metal offers this only better and minus the angst and Corey Taylor is however, and incredibly annoying vocalist and this song is no exception with that weird thing he does trying to sound both angsty and aggressive at the same time. But then, this is nu-metal we're talking about, and it's been done a whole lot worse than Slipknot in it's time.

So yeah, Slipknot's The Heretic Anthem: Want music to trash your room to while crying because the jocks beat you up because they just can't accept someone different? Then look no further.

Some serious Interpol vibes going down here! As someone mentioned a few pages back, we all seem to have a collective boner for depressing post-punk tunes.

Like all music of this stamp, the ghost of the Velvet Underground looms large over this track. Monolithic, repetitive drums over scratchy chords support a supremely bummed out, echo effected vocal line. The bass comes in twisting the focus into an even more distinctly minor chord. But it retains a trace of pop sensitivity, the after-echoes of mid-late 60's vocal harmonies along the lines of Lee Hazlewood, Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young etc. Really great track, will have to see about grabbing this L.P.

Do need to point out that that song is pretty unrepresentative of the album as a whole, which mostly consists of weird (i.e, good) indie folk and alt-country. Sort of a sexier, slightly more subversive Neil Young I guess. Still my favourite album of 2012, metal or otherwise. It's got a wicked streak of wit and humour running through it in a dark, drug addled existentialist sort of way.

_________________Life is your worst enemy.

Wolfgong wrote:

By the way I am straight and male and get a kick outta tricking chicks to get into their pussy

Do need to point out that that song is pretty unrepresentative of the album as a whole, which mostly consists of weird (i.e, good) indie folk and alt-country. Sort of a sexier, slightly more subversive Neil Young I guess. Still my favourite album of 2012, metal or otherwise. It's got a wicked streak of wit and humour running through it in a dark, drug addled existentialist sort of way.

Oh, that's a pity then. Although I have been on a big Neil Young kick the last 2 weeks or so, so I might try and download it to see. Isn't that always a bummer - when the track you really like on an album is the one that is out of place among the rest of the songs.

_________________

Mike_Tyson wrote:

"I think the average person thinks I'm a fucking nut and I deserve whatever happens to me."

I'm not really sure how to judge the quality of this stuff. It was sort of interesting but not very engaging for me. Cool noises/samples under funkified drum machine beat complete with cowbell, and stoned sounding minimal raps in a strange accent that I didn't really understand. I was reminded of some of the silly stuff a girl I know loves to listen to and sing along with really late at night while drunk out of her mind. Is it safe to say I didnt' really "get" it? Possibly. Did jump when that donkey sound went off at the beginning, and liked those low organ tones or whatever they were. I'm really struggling to find anything else to say about this, so I guess that's it. Sorry man...

This is some really out there stuff with a strong psychedelic bent. The most prominent vocals are quite bizarre, being half sung and half whispered. I'm not sure how I feel about them, but they certainly sound different. The female vocals that occasionally pop up are much more of the norm, and I dig them a bit better. The subtle psychedelic backing is certainly nice and the occasional carnivalesque melodies add to the bizarre vibe. It's a bit too avant-garde for me in sections, but in all this is quite intriguing, even if it's not something I normally would spin. Also, awesome trippy accompanying video.

First off, this is a bona fide classic. One of the best country songs ever recorded and easily one of the more dreary and ominous. The chord progression is haunting, beautiful, and enchanting. One of the most influential songs for my own guitar tunes. A perfect song, really and definitively American.

Well...this is amazing for the mood I'm in and just general night listening. Very smooth, calm, piano driven sadness and atmosphere with ethereal vocals. I'm not sure what else to say except that this sounds like it would be conductive to writing.

This is just okay honestly. The song's not bad or anything, but in essence it's nothing more than generic grungy rock vocals over generic grungy rock riffs. The lyrics are fun, and the riffs are good enough to keep me vaguely interested in what's going on musically, but there's really nothing unique here.